The proportion of secondary caries in the work load of dentist

Annotation. The aim of the study was to determine the proportion of teeth with secondary caries among carious lesions in children and adults to determine the amount of dentist’s work load for the primary and secondary teeth caries. A targeted epidemiological study of the dental status of 264 residents of Sumy oblast in the age group of 35-44 years old and 364 children aged 3, 6, 12 and 15 years was conducted. The analysis of the results determined the prevalence and intensity of caries. The intensity of adult dental caries was estimated by the integrated Decayed Missing Filled Teeth (DMFT) index and dft in children. It was found that the prevalence of caries among 3 year old children was 34.0% (95% CI: 25; 43), 6 years old – 69.0% (95% CI: 59; 78), 12 years old – 62.0% (95% CI: 52; 72), 15 years old – 68.0 (95% CI: 58; 77), adults - 100%. The intensity of caries at the age of 3 years by dft index was 1.54±0.11 teeth, 6 years (DMFT + dft) – 3.16±0.15 teeth, 12 years (DMFT) – 2.33±0.12, 15 years (DMFT) – 2.86±0.18 and in adults DMFT was 14.91±0.37 teeth. 64.0±13.0% of children at the age of 3 years, 52.9±6.0% – at the age of 6 years, 30.0±10.0% - at the age of 12 years, 48.5±6.1%, – at the age of 15 years and 47.2±2.9% of adults needed dental treatment for the primary caries. 36,0±13,0% of children at the age of 3 years, 47,1±6,0% – at the age of 6 years, 70,0±10,05% – at the age of 12 years, 51,5±6.1% – at the age of 15 years and 52,8±3,3% of adults needed dental treatment for secondary caries. Thus, almost half of dentist’s working time is precisely on repeated visits of patients for the elimination of the consequences of poor-quality treatment of primary teeth caries, which resulted from a number of reasons.